Published by Sunsoft and developed by Red Art Games, Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection is a compilation of three Famicom games never released in America: The Wing of Madoola, Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, and Ripple Island. Originally released in the mid to late 80s, these three games have received full English translations, but the original Japanese version is still playable. This compilation also sells for a lowly $9.99. A physical version will also be available.
Before jumping into these neglected, historical 8-bit titles, the player is treated to a seamless yet respectfully impressive interface. Easily accessible and readable, the UI is designed to make the player experience cohesive while providing some historical context. Not only have the Famicom carts been recreated in full 3D and can be viewed at any angle, instruction scans, and other marketing materials are also included. Although it doesn’t go nearly as deep as the Gold Master Series by Digital Eclipse, the extras here are most welcomed and help paint a picture when these titles were originally released. Even the main menu music is quality.
Since most American gamers probably have never played these games before, let alone even heard of them before, the introductory text as the player selects the game is rather insightful and welcoming. In addition to summarizing the gameplay, each title card also informs the player by displaying the genre of each game and initial release date.
All games benefit from the same quality of life features too. The expected Save/Load states are available. There are numerous visual filters and borders to adjust. And rewinding is handed with the press/hold of a button. My only major complaint comes from the lack of controller customization. While I understand using “A” and “B” on the Xbox controller mimics that of the Famicom, I would have much preferred to toggle using “X” and “A” instead. It seems weird that there is no option to change controls. But other than that, each game looks, sounds, and plays well. The emulation, including the newly translated text, is well done.
So let’s quickly break down each included game.
Ripple Island, 1988, is a point and click adventure title that predates other noteworthy adventure NES titles such as Manic Mansion and Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. Out of the three included games, this one benefits the most from having an English translation. This is a point and click adventure game after all so understanding the written clues is paramount. It is interesting because clickable icons at the bottom of the screen provide the player with the verbs of gameplay. Look, speak, touch/grab, item bag, foot/kick, pick up and put down, and a password system is always available. Movement is handled like classic dungeon crawlers where tapping a single direction on the d-pad moves one screen in that direction. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of point and click adventure games as I find the mandatory trial and error tedious. However, there is no reason why adventure game enthusiasts shouldn’t get a kick out of this one. Playing with a guide at your side will definitely help though.
Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, 1986, is an action platformer. Out of the three, this is my favorite and not just because the main character looks like a Canadian from South Park. This side scroller’s main gimmick comes from the way the playable character attacks. Instead of shooting forward, like in Contra by comparison, bombs are lobbed with a forward arch. When connected, it takes out enemies that are constantly chasing the player, trying to prevent the playable character from reaching the exit point all the way to the right of each stage. This is also the only game out of the three to offer a multiplayer mode. Just remember, it is alternating.
While not as action-focused as Contra, it reminds me a bit of Namco’s Son-Son only without so much structured horizonal linearity. There are plenty of platforms to climb but each jump needs to be considered. It also feels a little weird to fall straight down like a rock instead of gliding on an angle a bit. Momentum is also required to jump at a better angle too.
This is definitely a game in which the rewind feature will be handy. Unfortunately, about halfway through the campaign, I got stuck at an impossible jump, preventing me from advancing. I tried everything and there is no way to clear this specific jump over some water, up a wall to a higher ledge. Even with the ridiculous floaty jumps, the playable character simply cannot clear this particular height. I am going to assume that I was doing something wrong but had to rage quit after ten minutes of straight struggle. I was bummed because I wanted to play to the end, milking the rewind along the way.
The Wing of Madoola, 1986, is an action RPG that is the roughest around the edges and sort of reminds of classic Athena. It plays like a 1986 action game. Meaning, movement is jagged. Enemies take way too many hits to defeat. Simple movement is chunky at best and climbing ladders can also be unfair, forcing damage. It is a very difficult, arcade-like experience. Like the Cyber Citizen Shockman re-releases, I wish there was an option to activate invincibility or some type of Game Genie code. Even with rewind, reaching the end is super tough. The music also repeats from the beginning at every screen transition which gets a little maddening in time. But this was the way at the time.
To be honest, are any of these games must play? No. Are any of them anything you have not played before? Also no. Is the overall presentation respectful to the source material? Big time. But it is really cool that three forgotten games received a quality translation and compilation bundle, complete with included scans? Yes, very much so. Despite not being the best games the Famicom has to offer, it is cool that Sunsoft took the effort to shine a light on their underappreciated history. I am really happy this compilation exists and provides excitement for future Sunsoft releases, re-releases, remakes, and sequels.
Oh, and even though it has nothing to do with this retro compilation, go play Ufouria The Saga 2. That game freakin’ rules! So good!
Better Than Replaying: The Humans Collection
Also Try: the IREM Collection Vol.1
Wait For It: a new Blaster Master game
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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RATING
OUR SCORE - 7
7
SCORE
While the three included games are not exactly must-plays, they provide an insightful look into a piece of Sunsoft’s history American players never had the chance to experience.
Editor in Chief - been writing for mygamer,com for 20+ years. Gaming enthusiast. Hater of pants. Publisher of obscure gaming content on my YT channel.
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